Apostrophes

It's suprising how much trouble apostrophes give people. Apostrophes are most often used for making nouns possessives and in contractions.

Use Apostrophes

Use apostrophes when you make things possessive.

• Maria's shoes
• The boys' gym shorts
• The couple's car

Use apostrophes in contractions.

• They're
• We're
• Don't

Don't Use Apotrophes

Don't use apostrophes to make nouns plural.

• Don't write 1970's when you are speaking about what happened during the decade. Use 1970s. (In the 1970s, many people still dressed like hippies.)
• Do write 1970's when you are speaking of something that belonged to that decade. (The 1970's fashion left a lot to be desired.)
• Don't write the Jones's unless the Jones own something.(The Joneses like to keep up with the Smiths. Did you see the Jones's new Lamborghini?).